STRUCTURAL FEATURES OF LINGUAL MINOR SALIVARY GLANDS UNDER THE EXPERIMENTAL COMBINED EFFECT OF FOOD ADDITIVES

Abstract

Under certain conditions, some food additives may have a negative effect on the state of the organs of the digestive system. Morphofunctional changes in the minor salivary glands of different types induced by consumed food have been insufficiently studied. The purpose of this experimental study is to investigate the structural features of the mucous and serous lingual minor salivary glands after combined exposure to monosodium glutamate, sodium nitrite, Ponceau 4R in the dynamics for 4 weeks. Matherials and Methods: 30 outbred albino rats were involved into the experiment. The standard ration for the rats of the experimental group was supplemented with complex food additives: monosodium glutamate, Ponceau 4R, sodium nitrite for 1 and 4 weeks. The rats were killed under thiopentone anesthesia overdose. Conventional histological microslides and semi-thin sections were made from the tongue specimens according to the standard technique. Results. The average diameter of the acini of the mucous lingual salivary glands of intact animals was 55.7±2.89 μm. In the glands of this type, the parenchyma and the stroma was accounted for 70% and 30%, respectively. The average diameter of the secretory parts of the serous lingual salivary glands of intact animals was 32.25±3.59 μm. In the serous lingual salivary glands the parenchyma and the stroma accounted for 75.9% and 24.1%, respectively. Following 4 weeks after taking complex food additives with standard ration for the laboratory animals, the relative amount of parenchymatous component in the mucous salivary glands significantly increased (91,0±0,30)% (p=0,01), whereas the stromal component decreased (9,09±0,26)% (p=0,01). The increase in the average diameter of acini (62.44±0.96 μm (p=0.01) was detected. There was a similar tendency in serous glands. The parenchymatous and stromal component accounted for (86.3±1.13) % and (13.67±1.13)%, respectively. The average diameter of acini was 29.63 ± 0.96 (p = 0.03) μm. Conclusion. Four week-long consumption of complex food additives (monosodium glutamate, Ponceau 4R, sodium nitrate) supplemented with standard ration by the laboratory animals leads to an increase in the relative amount of parenchymatous component in the lingual salivary glands, which occurs due to hypertrophy of the acini. The described processes are more pronounced in the mucous lingual salivary glands compared to the serous ones.